I’d like to make your readers aware of a unique opportunity to make a big difference to the lives of hungry children in the world’s poorest countries this summer.
For anyone who becomes a monthly giver to global school feeding charity Mary’s Meals before the end of August, their first three donations will be tripled, meaning the impact of their regular gifts will go even further.
This is thanks to a group of generous supporters who are making funds available up to £100,000 for tripling donations from new regular givers for a limited period.
Your readers can help Mary’s Meals to access all the available funds by setting up a monthly Direct Debit by 31 August here. (marysmeals.org.uk/tripled).
Mary’s Meals feeds more than 1.8 million hungry children in 19 countries every school day.
This funding boost will bring fresh hope to families struggling amidst the continuing challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has hit the world’s poorest countries especially hard, and will also help Mary’s Meals in its goal to reach two million children with a nutritious meal every school day.
I am proud to support Mary’s Meals and hope that this summer your readers can take advantage of this incredible opportunity to see their kindness go three times as far.
The centre, which cares for abandoned, abused and neglected dogs, is asking dog owners to register their pooches to walk 9K for K9s and raise much-needed funds after the impact of the pandemic.
The Wagathon, which can be done in stages in case of little legs and paws, will take place over the August bank holiday weekend …
This August, the UK’s very first Wagathon™, a 9K walking challenge for dogs raising money for other dogs, is taking place. In a unique twist, the dogs taking part will be the ones signing up and being sponsored, rather than the owner.
The fundraising platform Give as you Live Donate is behind the campaign and asking owners to register their furry friends in order to give dog charities in the UK a much-needed fundraising boost.
The goal of the Wagathon™ campaign is to collectively raise a whopping £1 million for dog charities, and to reach this target, Give as you Live is calling for canine contenders to get involved. Although dog-owners will be the ones choosing a charity to support and registering their furry companion, the dogs themselves will be the ones being sponsored and completing the Walk 9K for K9s challenge.
Whether the chosen charity supports vulnerable dogs living in shelters, dog welfare, or training assistance dogs, Give as you Live Donate wants to ensure that vital funds are raised to support the ongoing work of all the much-needed charities.
Fundraising is even more important this year due to the limited opportunities there have been recently as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Annabelle Risdon, Director and Head of Partnerships at Give as you Live, commented: ‘The pandemic has impacted hundreds of dog-related charities resulting in thousands of lost donations to help support vital canine welfare.
“Our Wagathon™ initiative provides an opportunity for these charities to boost their donation drives this summer. The mission is to ensure all dog charities are supported in their quest to increase donations after such a difficult period.’
To be involved in Give as you Live Donate’s Wagathon™ mission to raise a million, dog owners can sign up their pooches for a national Walk 9K for K9s challenge.
Participants need to complete the 9k walk on the bank holiday weekend, Saturday 28th August to Monday 30th August. For dogs who might struggle with the distance, the walk can be spread across the weekend.
Alongside the Wagathon™ campaign and in celebration of National Dog Day, which takes place on Thursday 26th August 2021, Give as you Live Donate will also be running an online competition.
Dog owners could be in with a chance of winning a £100 donation for a dog charity of their choice and a £100 hamper full of treats and goodies for their dog!
If you are a dog owner who would like to join the Wagathon™ mission and help raise much-needed funds for a chosen charity, sign your pooch up here.
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced that applications are open for its Ignite Fellowship.
Now in its fourth year, the Ignite Fellowship recognises the achievements of professional writers and will offer tailored, practical and financial support to help writers find time and space to fire up their careers.
There are three awards available and Scottish Book Trust is working in partnership with the Gaelic Books Council, who will fund one of these specifically for a writer working in Gaelic. Applications from writers working in Scots are also strongly encouraged.
Last year’s fellows included: poet and performer Courtney Stoddart; artist and filmmaker Raman Mundair; and Gaelic poet and translator Niall O’Gallagher.
During her Ignite Fellowship, Courtney Stoddart has worked on her first poetry pamphlet featuring themes of race, identity and the ramifications of colonialism and imperialism.
She is being mentored by writer Rommi Smith. Raman Mundair has used her time during the Fellowship to bring her work into focus with her mentor. Niall O’Gallagher worked on his forthcoming fourth book, a verse-novella called Litreachan Plàighe (Plague Letters), told through a series of letters between characters who find themselves separated from one another.
The Ignite Fellowship provides a flexible programme to suit the individual needs of the selected awardees. Fellows will receive a £2000 bursary and tailored creative support to suit their individual projects. The fellowship will run for one year, from January 2022 to January 2023.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“The Ignite Fellowship now moves into its fourth year and looks to elevate the careers of writers, poets, playwrights and more who are looking to take the next step.
“The Ignite Fellowship programme is flexible to meet the needs of the awardee, which we know is more important now than ever. We encourage those writing in English, Scots and Gaelic to submit.”
Catriona Lexy Campbell, 2019 Ignite Fellow, said:“The Ignite Fellowship has been an incredible opportunity, providing me with the time and space to develop this project with exceptional mentorship from Aisling Walsh.
“I’m so excited to see where the next stage of this project takes me and I’m so grateful to Scottish Book Trust for their support throughout this time.”
Writers based in Scotland are encouraged to apply for the Ignite Fellowship. Applicants must meet the criteria for Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature Database, though do not need to be on the database to apply.
Applications are welcome from writers, comic makers, poets, illustrators, storytellers, playwrights and spoken word artists.
The Ignite Fellowship will support writers who are embarking on a particular project including novels, poetry, screenplays and radio scripts. To apply, writers must have a project that still needs work. This project can be in the very early stages of development, such as an idea, outline or pitch, or already a work in progress.
Alison Lang, Director of the Gaelic Books Council, said:“The Ignite Fellowship has so far offered Gaelic writers the opportunity to work on folklore, poetry and screen adaptations.
“We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Scottish Book Trust to support another writer in creating new work and developing their career, and we will welcome applications across all forms and genres of literature.”
Gaelic entries will be assessed by the Gaelic Books Council.
Awardees will receive:
A £2000 bursary
Tailored creative project support
In addition to the tailored creative project support the following opportunities will also be available:
A week-long writing retreat at Moniack Mhor, alongside writers from Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Awards programme (subject to ongoing circumstances)
Optional training in Press, PR and Social Media and Performance and Presentation
A showcase event (to be organised with the selected writers)
Networking opportunities
Other reasonable support (including marketing, promotion and press) as needed
Reasonable travel expenses for all trips to attend programme commitments
Valuable new resources launched for carers of people with dementia by exciting new partnership
This week a partnership between Edinburgh charity Hearts & Minds, Designed by Society, Wee Culture and Edel Roddy launched a new website with valuable resources for unpaid and professional carers of people with dementia and anyone who has an interest in care for people in the later stages of dementia.
All of the partners have direct experience of working in the area of later stage dementia and developing resources. The project was funded by Dementia Series Development Trust.
The Treasure We Seek Project is based on the principles of the work of Hearts & Minds Elderflowers who use the art of therapeutic clowning to encourage moments of engagement, communication and movement with ladies and gents with dementia. The project took those principles and developed two sets of resources ‘Valuables’ and ‘Treasure Hunt’.
Edel Roddy, Project Lead explains: “The Treasure We Seek website was launched this week offering two free resources for people to feel connected to people living with later stage dementia.
“The resources have been developed with the hope they will be useful across a range of settings including schools, community groups, carers organisations and care settings, and we were thrilled with people’s responses.
“Initial feedback highlighted that people have started to develop ideas about how they will try out the resources, and potentially make them their own, with friends, family and in work settings. Attendees at the launch even helped us think about other contexts in which these resources could be used, the possibilities of which feel exciting.
“If you missed the launch you can find the resources on www.thetreasureweseek.net and we’d like to hear from anybody who tests them out or has thoughts or ideas about this work they’d like to share.”
These resources will help relatives and professionals to cope and care and also to evaluate how they feel and take notice of their own wellbeing so they don’t feel stressed or isolated.
Hearts & Minds is an award winning Scottish charity that works in collaboration with paediatric healthcare units, respite centres, schools for learners with complex additional support needs and Dementia units to deliver laughter, friendship and support to those who need it most.
Our Clowndoctors Programme supports children and young people to cope with life in a hospital, hospice or respite care setting and in schools for learners with complex additional support needs.
Our Elderflowers Programme helps people living with dementia or dementia-related conditions in hospitals and residential care homes. Through playfulness, smiles and laughter, we help all of these vulnerable people to deal with the anxiety, fear, confusion and sadness that their situations and conditions may bring.
Dr Gayle Rice is an experience researcher and designer for Designed by Society. Her research background is qualitative and creative and focuses on people’s current and desired experiences. Her design practice involves designing to enable improvements in people’s experiences of social interactions.
Wee Culture
Belinda Dewar is a registered nurse, researcher, educator and practice developer with a career spanning over 30 years. She is currently Director of Wee Culture which aims to support people to explore and enhance culture. She previously held the position of Professor of Practice Improvement at the University of the West of Scotland and the Lead for My Home Life Scotland.
The Dementia Series Development Trust is a charity with a vision to improve the lives of those living with dementia through the funding of activities which support this aim. The Principles which guide the work of the DSDT are:
Proactive
Pump priming
Partnership
The Disruption Award funds projects which strive to disrupt some of the old ways that people think about dementia, and communicate new ideas that reframe it.
From the start of 2021, the UK has reported a total of 14,883 instances of cyber crime, with the total losses of £5.7m
Despite 90% of offences being made against the public, UK businesses have reported £1.9M of losses – a third of the total figure
Offences involving hacking, social media and email account for 6.3k of reported incidents
Primary targets for cyber crime appear to be tech-savvy individuals under 40
British people and businesses have suffered financial losses of £5.7m from a reported 14,883 cyber crime incidents since the start of the year.
The new study from click fraud prevention experts PPC Shield indicates that malicious hacking, fraudulent use of social media accounts and email scams are the most common form of cyber crime so far this year – accounting for 43% of all reported incidents since 1st January.
Also in the high-ranking categories are reports of malware/viruses, personal hacking and extortion.
Data compiled from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau indicates that those under 40 reported the most incidents this year, at a total of 5,000. This suggests that scammers and hackers are predominantly targeting younger, more tech-savvy generations; Those used to juggling multiple social media accounts, email addresses and banking apps.
Though cyber crime against corporate bodies only accounts for 10% of the UK’s reported offenses, their financial losses of £1.9M accounts for a third of the total figure.
Concerning the effects on victims of cyber crime – ONS data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) indicates that 72% of those affected by cyber crime expressed that they had been emotionally affected by their experiences, with almost a third stating a moderate to severe impact as a result of the offense – predominantly annoyance and anger.
A further 1 in 10 individuals experienced emotions such as anxiety, depression, fear or difficulty sleeping.
Despite the personal nature of the crimes, 81% of offences were committed by an individual person (as opposed to a group) that was not known to the victim.
Concerning the tools used to commit cyber crime, malware (software designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client, or network) is at its lowest point since 2007, according to Google’s Transparency Report. In contrast, phishing websites – which seek to gain passwords, credit card numbers and other private information without the use of applications – have seen an increase of more than 750% since 2007.
In all cases of cyber crime that resulted in financial loss, one in three individuals discovered the offence through communications from their bank, building society or other financial institution.
Including non-cyber assisted fraud, the UK has logged 253,736 reports that equate to total financial losses of £1.2bn this year. Health minister Lord Bethell has previously commented on the rise of phishing scams conducted over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increase in fraudulent text and calls to mobile phones, with individuals posing as bank employees, HMRC and even the NHS charging for fake COVID tests and track & trace.
A spokesperson for PPC Shield comments: “With the internet such an essential part of our daily lives, taking care online and using robust security measures are of utmost importance.
“Always be aware of what you are clicking on, and be especially wary of phishing sites and emails sent from companies or individuals that you are not familiar with.”
The analysis was conducted by PPC Shield, which enables brands and businesses to optimize their online ad campaigns by filtering out and blocking fraudulent clicks to ensure an advertising budget is not wasted.
After a year that’s taken its toll on parents’ and children’s physical and mental health, we’re all longing for a bit of rest and relaxation.
But the school holidays can leave children’s learning brains a little too relaxed. So with the Tokyo Olympics in full flow, keep the kids’ brains sharp with these Games-themed activities from former primary school teacher Abby Milnes of education champs PlanBee:
Learn about…
… time zones
There is an eight-hour time difference between the Games and the UK. This is a great opportunity to teach your children about time differences between countries and why they exist. Challenge your children to work out what time they will need to turn on the TV if they want to watch an event live (hypothetically of course; some of the events may be broadcast in the early hours of the morning in the UK!).
Download this FREE Time Zones Map to help teach your children about Time Zones.
… measuring time
Many of the Olympic events are measured and scored against how long it takes to complete the event. Events under a minute such as the 100m sprint, 200m kayak, team sprints in cycling etc will provide suitable contexts for younger children to think about when measuring time. Older children may like to take on slightly longer events.
This PlanBee lesson may help teach your younger child about measuring time.
Challenge your child to see how many things they can do within the same time as it took an athlete to complete their event. For example, the Olympic record for running 100m was 9.63 seconds set by Usain Bolt at the 2012 Olympics. How many blocks can your child stack in this time? How many ticks can they do on a sheet of paper? After showing children how to read the amount of time on a stopwatch, get them to time each other and take it in turns to see who can beat the record in your own events.
… measuring distance
Other Olympic events such as long jump, javelin, shot put and discus are scored and measured using distance.
Using a metre ruler or measuring tape, challenge your children to take part in a long jump event. They can take a run-up, or go from a standing jump. Mark where the back of their foot landed and help your child measure how far they jumped!
… averages
Some events such as gymnastics are scored by a judges panel. Each judge gives the performance a score which is then averaged out to give a final score. Challenge your child to take individual judges scores and find the average score by adding them up and dividing the total by the number of individual scores.
… variables
“I wonder… do you run faster on grass or concrete?” Challenge your children to think about conducting simple investigations with “I wonder…?” questions like the one above. Younger children may need help with timing but they should be able to make verbal conclusions with you such as “I ran faster on the concrete”.
Older children (7+) should be encouraged to think scientifically. Is it fair if you wear sandals to run on the grass, but running shoes on the concrete? No, they should be the same. What about the distance you run?
Other things they could test:
● Do I run faster wearing trainers, or when I’m barefoot?
● Will I jump further with a run-up?
● Will I jump further with a long run-up or a short run-up?
● Does someone with longer legs jump further?
… pentathlons
What’s the difference between a triathlon, a pentathlon and a decathlon? The number of events! (This is also a perfect opportunity to look at the prefixes tri- pent- and dec- to mean three, five and ten e.g. tri-angle, tri-cycle, pent-agon etc.)
Challenge your children to come up with their own events for a family tri, pent or decathlon! They don’t have to be Olympic events, just a number of events that an athlete will be timed to complete. They don’t even have to be sport related: Who will be the fastest person to put on their socks? Who will be the overall winner?
… drawing figures
Do you have a budding artist in the ranks? Why not challenge them to draw their favourite athlete from the Olympics. Up the challenge by asking them to draw the figure in motion as they complete their event.
Having held the Games before in 1964, Tokyo already had venues to host different Olympic events. The newly built National Stadium was finished in November 2019. Challenge your child to investigate its design, including the different ways it has been designed to be eco-friendly.
Work together to create your own model of an Olympic stadium, making sure there’s enough room for a track and spectators.
… map skills
Some of the cycling events in the Olympic Games require a set route to be planned out over a certain area. Print out a map of your local area and identify where you are and any areas they are not allowed to go to. Together, plan out a cycling route for your own Olympic cycling event. You could repeat the route several times to try and beat your personal best!
Beware: If you are riding on roads, make sure your child can ride confidently on them and is aware of safety rules.
… clothing design
Take a look at the designs for the athletes’ kits. How is the country represented in the design? What functionality does there need to be? This could link nicely with investigating the different countries’ flags.
NHS Lothian’s pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic scheme has seen its most successful day at Gyle Shopping Centre with 330 people attending.
The Gyle Shopping Centre pop-up clinic was launched on Tuesday (27 July) within an outlet at the centre alongside some of the biggest names in retail, allowing for those shopping or working nearby to drop-in to get their life-saving vaccine.
For the first time all three vaccines are available, allowing those in need of a second dose of Pfizer to be vaccinated. Moderna and AstraZeneca are also available at the centre.
The clinic is open to everyone over the age of 18 for their first or second dose, provided there has been an eight week gap between vaccinations.
Pat Wynne, Director of Community Nursing, NHS Lothian, said: “To see these numbers come through our clinic at Gyle is fantastic and it reinforces our decision to use pop-up clinics in order to move forward with our vaccination programme.
“We are really pleased to have teamed up with Gyle Shopping Centre and we are grateful to them for providing this space for such a prominent drop-in clinic and supporting our team with queue management.
“Sites like Gyle Shopping Centre are great venues for us because they allow people to easily drop in when they are out shopping or taking a break from work. I would encourage anyone who is due to be vaccinated to consider coming to our Gyle clinic as soon as possible.”
The Gyle pop-up clinic will run until Saturday 14 August and is open every day between 10am to 6pm.
Mr Wynne added: “Pop-up clinics are part of the campaign to target younger people and make it as easy as possible for them to get the vaccine in the places they visit.
“We feel the clinic at Gyle will also help us target people between the ages of 18-29, who we especially need to come forward for vaccination. We remain determined to do everything we can to make sure as many people are vaccinated as possible.”
NHS Lothian’s vaccination bus, which is being run along with Lothian Buses, is continuing to visit sites across Lothian. More details on its locations can be found in the COVID vaccination hub on NHS Lothian’s website.
Edinburgh Art Festival officially gets underway, running from 29 July – 29 August 2021. The 17th edition brings together over 35 exhibitions and new commissions in visual art spaces across the city, complemented by an online programme of events and digital presentations.
Following last year’s cancellation and an exceptionally challenging period for the creative sector, this year, more than any, we are proud to cast a spotlight on the uniquely ambitious, inventive and thoughtful programming produced each year by Edinburgh’s visual art community.
This year’s programme continues to place collaboration at its heart, with a series of festival-led commissions and premieres devised and presented in close partnership with leading visual arts organisations and a specially invited programme of new commissions curated in partnership with an Associate Artist.
All our festival venues will be following the latest Scottish Government Covid guidelines to ensure visitor safety, and we will be keeping our website regularly updated on what audiences can expect during their visit.
Highlights from the 2021 Festival Programme
Our festival-led programming features major new commissions and presentations by leading international artists, including the UK & European premiere of Lessons of the Hour by Isaac Julien in partnership with National Galleries of Scotland; and two new festival co-commissions, with work by Sean Lynch in collaboration with Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop; and a sound installation by Emeka Ogboh with Talbot Rice Gallery.
In a new approach for the festival, we are delighted to collaborate with Glasgow based artist, film-maker and programmer, Tako Taal as Associate Artist. Responding to the festival’s invitation to reflect on themes and ideas emerging from Isaac Julien’s Lessons of the Hour, Taal has invited new commissions for public and digital spaces, by a new generation of artists living and working in Scotland: Chizu Anucha, Sequoia Barnes, Francis Dosoo, Thulani Rachia, Camara Taylor and Matthew Arthur Williams.
We will also see the return of Platform, the festival’s annual showcase supporting artists in the early stages of their careers to make and present new work – with Jessica Higgins, Danny Pagarani, Kirsty Russell and Isabella Widger invited to create new work for Platform: 2021 at Institut français d’Ecosse.
There will also be chance to discover new generation artists at some of our partner galleries across Edinburgh, including the work of Satellite participant Alison Scott at Collective, Sekai Machache at Stills, Andrew Gannon at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and gobscure at Edinburgh Printmakers.
Solo presentations across the capital include Christine Borland at Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Alberta Whittle and Rachel Maclean at Jupiter Artland, Frank Walter at Ingleby Gallery, Ian Hamilton Finlay at The City Art Centre, Sonia Mehra Chawla at Edinburgh Printmakers, Jock McFadyen at Dovecot Studios and a major exhibition by the artist Karla Black for the newly developed and reopened Fruitmarket and Alison Watt at The Scottish Portrait Gallery.
This year’s edition will also feature important retrospectives and major survey shows including The Galloway Hoard: Viking-age Treasure at National Museum of Scotland, Victoria & Albert: Our Lives in Watercolourat The Queen’s Gallery and Archie Brennan at Dovecot Studios.
Edinburgh’s commercial galleries present a richly diverse offering including; a new group show from Arusha Gallery and Ella Walker, Shaun Fraser and Will Maclean at The Fine Art Society, Leon Morrocco at Open Eye Gallery and the centenary of the birth of Joan Eardley is marked with an extensive new show at The Scottish Gallery.
The festival is also planning a series of digital events, to include artist and curator conversations, bespoke tours through the programme, events and activities for families and community groups, as well as newly commissioned work for digital space.
Sorcha Carey, Director, Edinburgh Art Festival said: “Festivals have always offered a space for gathering, and this year more than any, we are proud to come together with partners across the city to showcase the work of artists from Scotland, the UK and around the world.
“Some exhibitions are newly made in response to the seismic shifts of the past year; others are the result of many years of planning and careful research; but all are the unique, authentic, and thoughtful products of our city’s extraordinarily rich visual art scene.
“The past year has revealed how precarious things can be for artists and creative freelancers, as well as for the institutions and organisations that support the production and presentation of their work.
“As our summer festival season gets underway, and we look forward to welcoming audiences safely back to the festival and our city, now more than ever we need the space for community and reflection that art and artists can provide.”
Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “Edinburgh Art Festival shines a spotlight on the ambitious, inventive and thoughtful work being produced by Scotland’s visual arts community.
“I am pleased to see that the 17th edition of the Edinburgh Art Festival has brought together over 35 live exhibitions and new commissions, including a series of creative new works by six Scottish artists supported by £135,000 from the Scottish Government’s Festivals Expo Fund.
“A further £215,000 has been awarded through our PLACE programme to provide greater opportunities for artists at the beginning of their careers. I look forward to seeing the results of the Festival’s work during this challenging time.”
For more information, please visit www.edinburghartfestival.com or follow the festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @EdArtFest #EdArtFest #ArtUnlocks
RISE, a collaborative pilot programme designed to help people involved in crime to make positive life changes has been launched by Scottish convenience retailer Scotmid.
Scotmid’s Project RISE (Recovering In a Supported Environment) will be initially piloted in Leith. It has been designed to proactively intervene and support those living in the local community by encouraging them to avoid potential criminal situations, suggesting alternative choices and signposting individuals to support services.
Project RISE will work in partnership with several organisations including Cyrenians, Turning Point, Link-Up, Connecting Circles and Police Scotland.
As a ‘restorative practice intervention’, it will be used as an alternative engagement model to provide solutions to a recurring problem, which in many cases, tends to be crime.
If successful, Scotmid hopes that the programme will be rolled out across other areas of the city, where additional resources and support would help make a difference.
Nick McGuirk, Project RISE Project Manager at Scotmid, said: “As a retailer based in the heart of our communities, we are in a fortunate position to be able to identify and reach some of the most vulnerable people in our local areas.
“We’re pleased to work collaboratively with some fantastic charities to ensure we can support as many people as possible, helping them to make more positive life choices.”
Carmen McShane, Scotland Service Manager of Turning Point, said: “It has never been so important to make mainstream services more accessible for those who suffer from alcohol and other drug use.
“Accessing support and treatment can be a protective factor in reducing overdose, therefore, outreach work in Leith, and other local communities like this, is vital if we want to prevent drug-related deaths. I’m so pleased to work with Scotmid, Connecting Circles, Cyrenians and Link Up in this initiative to deliver the support to people in our community who need it.”
A Spokesperson at Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland is looking forward to working alongside our partners in this pilot programme, designed to make positive changes for those who require support and help.
“We hope the programme will expand its work to other areas, so that people can avoid potentially dangerous circumstances, whilst flourishing in their communities.”
